Head of Legal - International Assignment – Conakry, Guinea

We are looking for a senior, commercially minded and internationally experienced legal professional to provide strategic legal leadership and support executive decision-making in a complex mining and infrastructure environment.

The successful candidate will act as a key legal adviser to the local Managing Director and senior leadership team, ensuring that legal risks are effectively managed while supporting major commercial, operational and regulatory decisions.

This is a highly strategic position requiring strong leadership, corporate and commercial law expertise, government relations experience and the ability to operate in complex multicultural environments.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Leadership & Strategic Advisory

- Lead and manage the in-country legal function, ensuring effective legal support across business and project operations. - Act as a trusted legal adviser to the Managing Director and senior leadership team. - Provide strategic, commercially focused legal advice on complex business decisions. - Coordinate with international legal teams and external legal advisers. - Oversee legal priorities, resources, external counsel and associated budgets.

Corporate, Commercial & Project Legal Matters

- Provide legal guidance on major commercial contracts, joint ventures, infrastructure agreements and corporate governance matters. - Lead or support complex contractual negotiations involving international partners and stakeholders. - Advise on regulatory obligations, operational requirements and contractual risks. - Support legal matters relating to mining operations, infrastructure development, land access and project execution. - Identify potential legal exposure and implement appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

Government Relations & Regulatory Compliance

- Provide legal support for high-level interactions and negotiations with government authorities, ministries and regulators. - Advise on applicable legal frameworks and regulatory requirements in Guinea. - Manage sensitive legal matters, including disputes, investigations and external legal proceedings. - Support engagement with public institutions and relevant stakeholders.

Ethics, Governance & Risk Management

- Ensure compliance with applicable legal and regulatory obligations. - Advise on anti-bribery, anti-corruption, competition law and corporate compliance requirements. - Promote strong ethical standards and responsible business practices. - Support internal governance processes and legal risk management initiatives.

- Qualified lawyer admitted to practise in at least one jurisdiction. - Minimum 10 years of post-qualification legal experience (PQE). - Strong corporate and commercial law expertise, including complex contractual negotiations. - Proven experience in mining, infrastructure, natural resources or major industrial projects. - Demonstrated experience in Africa or comparable emerging-market environments. - Previous experience advising senior executives and business leadership on strategic legal matters. - Excellent professional proficiency in both French and English. - Strong knowledge of corporate governance, commercial contracts, regulatory compliance and legal risk management. - Ability and willingness to work in Conakry, Guinea.

The following experience would be particularly valuable:

- Previous experience in Guinea or West Africa. - Experience working for a major international mining operator, natural resources company or infrastructure developer. - Previous position as Head of Legal, Legal Director, General Counsel or Senior Corporate Counsel. - Experience managing joint ventures, government negotiations and major infrastructure agreements. - Exposure to large-scale mining developments, including construction and operational phases. - Previous responsibility for leading legal teams or managing external counsel. - Familiarity with complex multi-stakeholder environments involving international investors, governments and project partners.

Leadership & Personal Competencies

We are particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate:

- Strong leadership and independent decision-making capabilities. - Excellent commercial judgment and strategic thinking. - High-level negotiation and stakeholder management skills. - Ability to influence and advise executive leadership. - Integrity, discretion and a strong sense of professional ethics. - A pragmatic, solution-oriented approach to legal challenges. - Ability to work under pressure in a complex international environment. - Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

This opportunity offers the chance to contribute to a major international mining and infrastructure project in Guinea, operating at the intersection of commercial strategy, legal governance and large-scale industrial development.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior decision-makers and international stakeholders, playing a central role in supporting the project's strategic and operational objectives.

If you are an experienced legal leader with strong commercial expertise, international exposure and a background in major industrial or natural resources projects, we encourage you to apply.

Join IOTA GROUP and contribute your expertise to one of Africa's most significant industrial development environments.